


Forged in blood

by diasthedeathknight



Series: XCOM 2: War of the Chosen fanfics [1]
Category: XCOM (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Comfort, Death, Gore, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Social Anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-26 13:20:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20930879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diasthedeathknight/pseuds/diasthedeathknight
Summary: After learning that his fiancé got killed during an mission to distract ADVENT so another team was able to rescue him, Friedrich Stepp the Commander of XCOM has to deal with not only his social anciety issues but also with the loss of his loved one. And to add even more to that pile of work his soldiers are either dying or are injured on a constant basis. After another almost fathal encounter with one of the Chose he deceides to take matters into his own hand. The mastermind and former soldier will set food upon the battlefield again. But the question is if he can manage to do that without breaking down.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work is an attempt from myself to write down my XCOM playthrough I have at the moment. It was my first time playing with the Commander difficulty turned on and I just wanted to share this with someone, who ever that might end up being.

"Okay guys lets hope that Outrider was correct with her data and that the Commander really is here", they could hear Bradfords Voice over the com.  
"I really do hope so", Juan mutters, his grip tightens around the simple Assault Rifle he carries, for more than that and a simple grenade wasn't time and so the former Gunslinger had to resume to using the Assault Rifle. It felt strange in his hands and he missed his old gun.  
"Juan I know that you probably think of your fiancé but I need you to concentrate on this mission", Knute gently told him with a very concentrated expression on his face.  
"We have to deploy the X4 charges so the other team can sneak in and secure him", the former Grenadier told him then and Juan let out a deep sigh, then he nodded and looked at the small podium ahead were the Speaker would give one of his speeches about the humanity and the elders.  
"Let's do this...", he whispered so none of the ADVENT Soldiers could hear him.  
"That's the spirit! Now go in there and light 'em up!", another Soldier said and Juan had a smile underneath his helmet. After this mission, he could finally be together with Friedrich again. And he was looking forward to that.  
"Careful, I spot an ADVENT Trooper!", another Soldier called out and sighing Knute held up his red-colored Assault Rifle.  
"Well what are you all standing here? Fire at them!", he then unhooked the grenade on his belt and pulled the pin, throwing it into the group of three Troopers.  
The loud explosion and the painful scream confirmed the kill of the three ADVENT Troopers and Juan chuckled low.  
"You still got it, eh?", he teased the white-haired Grenadier, who didn't say anything but looked behind the podium and behind his sunglasses, Juan could see how his eyes went wide in shock.  
"ADVENT Captain!", he yelled out and Juan squinted his eyes.  
"Whe-?"  
Shots were fired and the last thing the former gunslinger felt were bullets connecting with his chest and head along with the loud screams of their recruit, their former medic who was cursing and Knute who was firing at the Captain.  
They were so close...he could've been together with his fiancé again...  
Looks like fate had other plans for him.

"Menace 1-5 do you copy?", Bradfords voice tore through the odd silence that unfolded after Juan's death and their medic then delivered the grim news.  
"Sir...Cold-Blooded is dead. The Commander got him", he said with his heavy accent and Bradford was silent for a few moments, then they could hear him saying: "Shit. Get...recover his body and deposit the X4 on the Podium. The other team just signaled Firebrand to pick them up with the Stasis Suit in tow"  
"Understood Sir", Knute said and then carefully lifted Juan up in his arms. The head of the gunslinger fall back and Knute sighed deep. It was a heavy loss for their team that was for sure. But more important was the mission at this point, they would deal with this...situation later.  
Still, they all had the expression of dread on their faces as they were once more reminded that they were only mortals and that a few right placed shots could end their lives.  
With that in mind, they deployed the X4-Charges and then left the city-center, detonating the Charges as they were out of range.  
The loud explosion didn't even make Knute smile like usual, he was just looking at Juan's corpse in his arms, then he clenched his jaw tightly together and growled: "ADVENT will play for that"  
Their medic hissed in agreement and the other Infiltrator that was with them nodded. Igor wasn't known for speaking many words and the Russian soldier often kept to himself, not talking to anyone if not necessary.  
This loss was a hard one and they weren't sure how their commander, the fiancé of Juan would handle the loss of their beloved one.  
As far as Knute knew, Juan and the commander went through training and through the first invasion together. The bond that they forged was deeper than anything and from what he was told Juan was sometimes the only one to reach the commander when the PTSD was hitting. That was before the Aliens took down XCOM and then captured their commander.  
Friedrich Stepp, one of the best engineers they had and the reason some of them were alive thanks to the improvements to their weapons. They owed him a lot. But to now tell him that his fiancé is dead?  
That would be very tough.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing he felt when he woke up was a sharp pulsating pain in his head like he just had the worst head ache ever. Those kind of headaches that are even worse than a migraine, that come from too much laughing or from someone hitting you over the head pretty hard.  
With a low groan he opened his eyes and blinked a few times, what he saw was at first very blurry and as someone moved in closer he had a flashback, someone was leaning over him, they wore a weird construct that resembled some kind of glasses on their face. He flinched back and the years of military training didn’t leave him alone as he rushed up and just straight up punched the one who was leaning over him in the face.  
Instead of an alien language however, he could hear someone swear, he smelled iron and then as he could see a bit clearer he could see a very familiar face.  
John Bradford was holding his bleeding nose, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.  
“What was that for, Friedrich?”, he asked him and Friedrich blinked a few times, then he looked to his left hand, that was a bit covered in blood. Hopefully he didn’t broke the nose of the other soldier.  
“I’m…sorry…”, he said and lowered his fist, unclenching it.  
“It’s okay, I would do the same after I was in an alien network for about 20 years”, the soldier said and smiled, still holding his nose.  
“And it’s good you haven’t lost any of your strength during the time you were in that suit. The doc called it a stasis suit. No wonder you still look so young and I’m looking like this”, with his free hand he gestured to his hair that was grey around the area of his temples. It suited him a lot but Friedrich wouldn’t poke at that.  
Instead he looked around, blinking a few times.  
“Were…am I?”, he asks and then he realized that he was in a bed that wasn’t his own.  
“You are on the Avenger, the current base for XCOM”, Bradford said and took the hand that was holding his nose from it, only to see more blood spilling from it.  
“XCOM…wait…so it does still exist?”, he looks at Bradford a bit puzzled and the old soldier chuckles, then he nods.  
“Yes. Even if it was a bit tough after they kidnapped you and we…aren’t that big as before. Also the Avenger is a ship”, he then was informed and Friedrich looked around in the room, taking it in.  
Now that would explain the slight vibrating he felt.  
Then something else hit him. A memory of someone, laughing with him, smiling with him, being at his side.  
“Were is Juan…?”, he then asked for his fiancé. Their marriage was planned and was only a few days away before the aliens got the location of their base and stormed it, capturing him.  
Bradford looked like he just got punched in the gut, his whole expression went a bit panicked and Friedrich could feel the despair settle in his stomach.  
“No…”, he whispers and clenches the blanket between his fists.  
“He was…killed in action when they set up a distraction so we could extract you without any hiccups from the facility”, Bradford informed him.  
“No….no…that…he was…he would never…Juan was…he…”, Friedrich stood up and before Bradford could do anything he was already past him and out of the room.  
He found himself in a rather blank hallway, steel walls greeted him together with the smell of steel and oil along with a bit of weird smell he couldn’t say what it was.  
Stumbling, using the wall as support, he run through the hallway.  
“No…Juan…”, shivering he then collapsed, his legs giving out from underneath him, tears gathering in his eyes as his heart felt like it was torn into shreds.  
From all the persons he lost, losing Juan was the toughest one. They trained together, they made almost everything together and so the evening when Juan confessed his feelings to him was the best evening he had so far.  
The proposal during the combat was something he would never forget. Juan yelling if he wanted to marry him while taking down a Sectoid would be burned in his memories.  
The gentle touch when he had one of his anxiety attacks, the jokes that could make everyone laugh and ease the tension a bit.  
A rather strong hand suddenly was placed down on his shoulder and he could feel a calming sensation rushing over him.  
“Commander, you shouldn’t-!”, he could hear Bradfords voice coming closer and then his second in command suddenly stopped speaking, just looking at the two of them.  
“Chain I don’t know if that is a good idea”, Bradford then said to the one that was standing right next to him.  
“He was in distress and hurt!”  
The voice of the man was rather loud and it pained Friedrich to hear a voice that loud in such a close proximity.  
The pain then suddenly vanished along with the headache he had and the dizzy feeling he had since waking up.  
A bit surprised he looked up to the man who had a hand on his shoulder. Looking in piercing golden eyes he saw a man that could be about 34 years old, rather muscular with a big smile on his face and an ugly burn scar that stretched across the left side of his face.  
Bradford approached them and let out a sigh.  
“Commander that is Chain, one of the soldiers. And the reason we were able to pull you out of that suit. If he wouldn’t use his psionics to calm you down, Tygan would’ve not be able to pull out the chip you had in your brain”, he then introduced Friedrich to the man, which hand was still on his shoulder, holding it a firm grip. A firm grip that felt like an anchor, holding him in a steady position, preventing him from plummeting in the sadness down below.  
“It is an honor meeting you, commander!”  
“And he also…talk a bit louder because he is nearly deaf”, Bradford explained to Friedrich, who looked at the other man in silent. Still asking himself what the hell psionics were.  
“Chain, we should let him rest a bit. He just…learned of the death of Juan”, Bradford then said to Chain and the man nodded, then Friedrich could feel how he was getting rather exhausted and sleepy. Before he could do anything or protest at all, he was falling into a merciful slumber.

Chain catched the body of the commander as it went limb from the sleep, gently holding him up and then looking to Bradford for any directions.  
“Down the hallway”, Bradford said and the natural Psion nodded, walking along the hallway they were standing in. Friedrich was only dressed in simple shorts and so he could see all the scars but most important he could also feel something that was rather…intriguing.  
It was very weak but he could feel psionics coming from the limb body. Maybe that was just a coincidence or the faint after trace from the commander being hooked up to the alien network that long. He made a mental note to later investigate further in that but for now, he would make sure that the commander was able to get a good night full of sleep and was ready to lead XCOM. If Bradford was to believe than the man was a brilliant strategist and an even better weapon expert than anyone else. If someone would be able to kick the aliens of their planet it would be the commander.  
He placed down the commander in the rather large bed, it seemed that it was built for two people, pulling the blanket back over him. As he was taking his leave, a hand grabbed his wrist, holding it in a strong grip.  
Confused he looks over his shoulder and he could see that the commander had grabbed his wrist, almost like he was asking him not to go and leave him alone.  
Sighing he sat down on the bed and watched over the sleeping commander. It was a callback to his childhood, where he was looking out for his little brother, unaware of his own psionics he still dreaded the day that his brother went to the regular screening they did at the gene therapy clinics. He never returned and the peacekeepers didn’t knew anything about his whereabouts. His family reported him as missing and that was the day he left the city center to search for answers. In his search, he found the Templars who took him in and also trained him. He wasn’t a Templar but he was far more than that, he couldn’t summon Psi-blades like they were able to, but he was able to control feelings and much more. When he heard that XCOM was back and searched for help he volunteered to go to them, seeing for himself if they were like the stories said they were and then to report back to Geist. This was his first week here and he would report back to Geist in two days so that they were able to contact XCOM and work out an Alliance.


End file.
